The Other Side Of the Universe
by T.F. Author
Summary: AlXOC some EdXWin rated T for Language and future criteria in later chapters. . . I SWEAR ON MY LIFE THAT I WILL NOT TOLERATE MY CHARACTER BEING A SUE! rewriting first chapter so it's not in play format, R&R so I know if it's any good.
1. The Prologue

On the Other Side of the Universe

Name: Alexandria (Alex) Monroe

Age: 7

Hair: Onyx

Eyes: Sea green

Prologue

Hohenheim was walking through the smoldering rot of the city of Gremmich. Dead bodies were everywhere, a woman was screaming for him to help her dying son. He turned to her.

Hohenheim: I'm sorry but your son is already dead.

He saw a boy about as old as Edward. He had dried blood and tearstains covering his face. The boy looked so much like Edward he had to shake off his feeling of dread. Edward was safe with Trisha in Resembool. So was Alphonse. He shuffled on. A girl was running from the monster that he had created, Envy. She tripped and hit her head on a rock. Blood poured freely. Envy was laughing insanely enjoying this all. Hohenheim pulled out a bone and threw it at the homunculus.

Hohenheim: Leave. Now.

The woman was unconscious but still alive. Hohenheim saw a baby in her arms. He took the baby and saw the tuft of black hair protruding from its head. The woman jerked up and looked around wildly.

Hohenheim: Oh, you're awake? I'm sorry, here's your baby. It seems to be all right.

Girl: That's not my baby, that's my little sister. I'm Kara and she's Alex.

Hohenheim took a step back. Now that he really looked the girl looked way too young to be a mother. She looked about 10. He extended his hand.

Hohenheim: Come, I was jut on my way back to Resembool. Maybe you could stay with my family and me for a while. Until you find a safer place to live.

Kara: thank you . . . .

Hohenheim: Hohenheim Elric . . .

Kara: Hohenheim.

Hohenheim caught the train back to Resembool with the two girls. Alex proved to be a calm and relaxed baby. She only cried once after the train jolted to a rough stop, only for a second. Soon they were in front of his house, Trisha was standing outside with Alphonse at her hip and Edward howling from his playpen outside. Alphonse grinned and his pacifier fell from his mouth as he his arms flailed wildly.

Alphonse: Dada!

Edward quieted down and climbed out of the playpen toddling towards Hohenheim.

Trisha: Hohenheim! We've been so worried are you ok?

Hohenheim: I'm fine Trisha, is it all right if these girls stay with us for a little while? Until we can get a house built?

Trisha: Yes umm we have a spare room in the back and . . .

Trisha looked over at baby Alex. She smiled softly.

Trisha: She can sleep in Al's crib.

Kara: Thank you so much for your hospitality. . I will repay you in anyway I can.

Trisha: Don't worry about it. I have children too, I'm sure your mother would want as much help for you in your situation as I would for mine.

**2 and a half years later**

Kara looked on the horizon. It had been two years since Hohenheim had left. Trisha had been a wreck; surely a man who would save two kids off of the streets couldn't have been so awful as to leave his wife and kids?

Alex: Twisha!!! Help! Ed is being mean!!!

Ed had locked Alphonse and Alex in a chest in Hohenheim's study. The three-year-olds were screaming for help. Trisha ran over to Ed. She was almost in a panic. The key to the chest had been lost for two years.

Trisha: Ed! Honey did you realize the key to this chest is gone and they are locked in?

Ed: Good I hate them. They made Daddy go away.

Ed ran away to hide as Trisha continuously hit the chest. Al started to wail in fear. Alex was shouting for help and Kara was searching for a hairpin. She found Ed in his and Al's room. She knocked on the wall.

Ed: Go away Kara, no one likes you.

Kara: I know. Edward . . . do you realize your baby brother and Alex are probably going to die unless you tell me were you put the key?

Ed: I don't care. . . I hate them!

Kara: You don't and you know it. Remember when you fell out of the tree in front of my house and Al gave you his band-aid?

Ed: Yeah . . .

Kara: Or when Alex helped you and Al home when it was raining and you couldn't see.

Ed: Yeah . . .

Kara: So, Ed can you tell me where you put the key? So I can save them.

Alex: (in the other room) Ed! Please! We'll shawe our toys wifh you if you let us out!!! Please Ed?!?

Ed: In Mom's blue box. . .

Kara: Thanks Ed.

Two minutes later

Trisha: Are you okay Al? Alex?

Al and Alex: Yes!

Kara: Okay Alex let's go get cleaned up. Winry's coming over later.

Alex: Ed and Al can come too?

Kara: We'll see . . . Bye Trish . . .

Trisha: Bye . . .

Kara took Alex home. The Elrics stood there and waved at Alex and Kara's backs as the fourteen year old and her three-year-old sister walked away.

Kara and Alex's house

Kara was not the loving being everyone made her out to be ,in fact, Alex who was constantly dressed in a jacket to big for her and thick pants, was bruised and cut up on almost every inch of skin. Kara had very recently been accepted into the alchemist's studies in Laboratory 5 in central. She was trying to figure out the best way to ditch Alex without making the Elric's hate her in case she needed to come back. She would fake her own kidnapping. It was perfect. The scientist who was picking her up was about to drive up. If she pretended to make a scene as she was leaving. It would work. Winry wasn't really coming over, she'd had to lie to the girl to get her home. Alex was waiting on the porch for Winry and Pinako. To make the kidnapping story work Alex needed to be unconscious. Kara grabbed the lamp and. . . The girl fell on the floor. Kara wrecked the house and ran outside to the waiting car, it was all over.

**7 years later **

Alex was sitting on Winry's porch dressed in overalls and wearing her usual hat. Alex was going through the, I want to be just like the boys phase. She had even learned some alchemy. She had a will to be bigger and stronger than Ed and Al, it wasn't working so well, as the scabs on her knee indicated. Trisha Elric had died two years previously, of an illness she had told no one about. Alex wasn't too surprised, it was so like Al's mom to die before hurting someone. The brother's had taken it bad, well wouldn't you if your mom died? The only mom Alex had known was Trisha Elric, when she had come to her house and had found Alex on the floor bleeding, she had taken her back into her house for the second time in five years. Inside the house Pinako was teaching Winry the best way to hook up wires to create auto mail. Alex heard screaming. She got up and started instinctively running to the Elric house . . . The door was locked so she heaved herself through the boy's bedroom window. She heard Ed's voice.

Ed: Al? Alphonse? Nooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Alex: Edward?

She ran to the study and saw Ed, on the floor his arm and leg missing. He was bleeding profusely. She ran to him.

Al: Ed?

Alex turned around and screamed in terror. There was a giant suit of armor, soaring above her, she crumpled to the floor unconscious.


	2. Taken Away

_The Other Side of the Universe_

**The Author: Sorry someone informed me I'm not allowed to write in play format so I've changed the format of the story. Enjoy?**

Alex woke up face to face with Winry. She was administering medicine of some sort. The blonde's hair was caked with blood and she looked harsh and miserable.

"Alex you are so stupid. . ."

She started crying into her arm

"Winry are you all right?"

Winry yelled and slapped Alex so hard she was sure the world was spinning. Then Winry hugged her so tightly the poor girl couldn't breathe. "Win . . . ry please . . . ." She dropped the girl; Alex fell on the bed gasping for breath.

"Thanks. . ." Alex looked around violently.

Winry was on the floor searching for the dropped medicine. Alex swung her legs over the edge of the bed,

"Where are Ed and Al?" Winry froze suddenly,

" Alex . . . maybe its best if you don't see them for a few days"

Alex stood up shakily,

"No I had a bad dream about them and I have to make sure they're okay." Winry tried to stop the younger girl, Alex, being so athletic, didn't even notice as she walked into the next room. A metal suit of armor was in the corner by the bed; Ed was lying down with the blanket covering him.

"Edward? Are you all right?" Alex strolled over to Ed and pulled back the blanket. Her eyes enlarged.

Alex let out a macabre scream. Winry was right behind her ready to catch her if she fell. The armor came to life and walked to Alex's right side.

"Alex, are you okay?" Alex looked up to see the armor looking at her. It was Al's voice she looked at the armor and opened it,

"Al why are you-"She faltered and fell back. She scampered into the corner and screamed over and over again. The armor was advancing on her.

"Alex it's me, Alphonse." Alex shut her eyes tightly and opened them. The armor bent down to lift her up.

Ed stirred, "Al?"

Al turned around abruptly. That gave Alex time to run. She ran as hard and fast as she possibly could. The river was getting nearer; she stumbled down the hill and rolled. The water engulfed her almost completely. She thought about thrashing but couldn't, the cold water had sent her body into shock. On the other side of the water, the sun was setting; the reds and pinks were whorled and distorted because of the water. Alex didn't even notice her vision failing until she fell unconscious

Alex couldn't breathe, she woke up wheezing, struggling for oxygen. She was cold and wet, and bald? She rubbed her sore head quietly. Just realizing her new surroundings, she jumped up analyzing her surrounding. She was in a bolted room, painted entirely white, she was wearing a white hospital gown, and there was a single toilet and a bunk. The air smelled like blood, a lot of blood. She heard high heels scraping and hitting the linoleum outside of the door. Alex jumped on the bed and pretended to sleep. The bolts on the other side of the door clicked and banged. A woman with a beautiful, yet cruel face, entered with a vial and a piece of chalk. She forced Alex up.

"Drink this. " Alex shook her head violently.

"Not until you tell me-" The woman forced Alex's mouth opened and the liquid from the vial slithered down her throat. Alex slumped down, sedated. She was wide awake but every nerve in her body was numb. Alex watched as the woman brought out a rucksack from behind her and drew a transmutation circle. Al had taught Alex everything their teacher, Izumi had taught them.

The woman took 15 minutes to finish the convoluted circle. Then she pulled a notebook out of the rucksack and wrote notes. Muttering as she went.

"Canine/ Human Transmutation. . . . Control Group: One Healthy 9-11 year old girl. . . Thin but athletic . . . average height"

After seemingly half an hour of writing three adult men came in the cell-like room. Alex wished with all her might that she could move. One of the men forced another vial down her throat. She tried to scream but the sound was caught in her throat. The four adult laid her in the middle of the intricate circle with the contents of the rucksack.

The sparks of the alchemic reaction generated. Alex screamed in torture and agony her DNA was being ripped at the seams and sewed excruciatingly and back together with intruding DNA. Then everything went black.

**4 years later, Laboratory 3, Central**

Colonel Mustang was inspecting the lab after the incident with the FullMetal Alchemist and his brother 3 weeks ago at Lab 5. Louisa, the head scientist at the Lab was gorgeous. She had coffee brown hair and azure blue eyes.

"Colonel this is our Herb Experimentation Room, we are studying about Agricultural Alchemy."

Mustang looked around and saw something out of place with the wall, there was an indention. He went to inspect it. "Hmm, it looks like you need to remodel this wall." He tapped on it, it was hollow. That's strange for a stone wall. He impulsively pulled at the groove. It opened like a door. There was a secret hallway. He grabbed his radio

"Lieutenant Hawkeye? I need back up at Laboratory 3" Someone screeched down the hallway, The Colonel looked up and saw a hundred cells "Immediately"

**Alex**

Alex was lifted from her bunk by an adult; she had lost all will to live. Her body was so scarred and mutated it was hard to tell what part of her was still alive, if even human. She was blind in both eyes so she couldn't tell who was lifting her upwards.

**Colonel Mustang**

He lifted a young girl, a little younger than FullMetal, up from her bunk. She looked like she used to be very charming, once, but now she was frail and sick-looking. She had 2 sets of ears and a canine-like tail.

**Alex**  
"Yeah right, I'll believe you when you let me out of military custody." She took a deep breath and jumped out of Mustang's arms. "I can walk on my own." Alex heard everything and felt all the vibrations. The man who had carried her was about 5'11" and 160 lbs.  
she walked out carefully judging her steps. The man guided her outside of the building where trucks were waiting, no doubt, to take the  
prisoners to Central.

**Central HQ **

**Alex**  
"Do you have any relatives?" Alex shook her head at whoever was asking. "Do you have anyone who might want to take you in?" Alex sighed and thought . . .

_Maybe the Rockbell's but I ran out on them all those years ago  
_  
. . . Alex realized what she had to do. "Can I borrow a phone?" The woman talking to her handed Alex a keypad and a phone.  
_  
I hope I still remember this . . ._

The phone rang and rang finally a voice picked up. "Rockbell Automail Repair" Alex took a deep breath. "Hello is Winry there?" A deep breath on the line "Hold on. . . Winry! Someone's calling for you!" There were footsteps and the longest pause in Alex's entire life. "Hello?" Alex gulped hard, and stuttered. . . It was Winry; the girl she had run from 4 years ago the night Ed and Al tried to bring their mom back. "Hi Winry . . . it's me Alex" The line went silent; Alex only heard Winry's breathing,

"Look if this is some kind of sick joke then it isn't funny." Alex was shocked.

"Winry this isn't a joke!"

"Everyone knows Alex is dead. She fell in the river 4 years ago and drowned."

"Winry, I didn't die! It's really me! Alex! I can prove it! Hohenheim brought me to Auntie Trisha's house when I was a baby! I love the summer when the apple tree in your front yard blossoms! I-"

"STOP! DON'T YOU DARE CALL BACK!!"

"Winry, please don't hang up. . ."

"Then tell me who you really are"

"Alexandria Emery Monroe, Winry, I swear to you on my life."

"Alex if it is you. .. Come home . . . please "

Winry was sobbing hysterically on the other line."I will" Alex hung up the phone. "Did you get a hold of someone to take you in?" Alex nodded and walked out to the reception area. Most of the prisoners from Lab 3 were already gone. She couldn't hear any breathing.

**Resembool**

**Winry**  
"Grandma?" Pinako was standing on a stool getting her wrench out of a cabinet. She stepped off the stool and looked at Winry. "Yes dear?" Winry looked down at the phone. The girl on the other line, claiming to be Alex, was she really her. Could Alex not be dead, no one had ever found her body so it was possible right? "I'm going out for a while; I'll be back in a few hours." Pinako nodded. Winry got her jacket and headed out the door.

**The Cemetery**

Winry glanced around at all the graves. Ed and Al's mom was buried ten feet away; Alex's grave was directly in front of her. She stared at it.

"_People don't just come back from the dead Al!"_

They don't, if they did her parents would be alive. Winry shook away the memory and stared at the headstone. A picture of the lively ten-year-old girl popped into her head.

_Alexandria Emery Monroe_

_August 1901- October 1911_

_Accidental Suicide_

The grave made her death seem so impersonal. Winry decided, Alex was not alive and no amount of upsetting painful phone calls was going to change that fact.

" _We're sorry Ma'am we can't find her body, it was probably washed downriver into the city"_

"_Thank you Gerald. . . Let's get you to bed Winry"_

She had sobbed that entire night, thinking about Alex face down in a run-off from the river. Al was at Ed's bedside, if he had had a body he would have sobbed too. The next night, Lieutenant Colonel Mustang showed up in their house. Winry started walking back when she remembered something, a long lost memory . . .

**6 years 0 months 16 days ago.**

"_Winry help me! Ed's being a meanie!" A girl a little younger than Winry came running up, crying. She had onyx black hair and aquamarine eyes. The girl ran up to Winry wearing threadbare overalls and a stained white shirt. The girl wore a baseball hat (I know there's no baseball in the show just a description). It was really a marvel anyone could tell she was a girl. The girl's eyes were tear-filled; she had a blackened eye and her bottom lip was bleeding. _

"_Don't listen to her Winry she's fibbing!" Winry looked at the girl's dejected eyes and hugged her. "Ed be nice to her, you wouldn't have hit Al would you?" Ed shook his head guiltily Alex looked up ," Hey Winry do you wanna play hide and seek with us?" Winry nodded_

_Al came running "Hey! Hide and Seek's no fun when you both hide in the same place!" Alex laughed, "One! Two! Three! Not It!" Winry had called not it last, so it was her turn to look. Al and Alex always hid in the same place. Ed was going to be a little harder to find. Winry finished counting and looked around. She saw Ed caught his pant leg in a bear trap. She laughed and went to go help him._

"_ALPHONSE! ALEX! COME OUT; COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE!" Winry heard a slight giggle from the bushes. When she went to go investigate, she heard the two younger children talking. "Al? Do you think Ed likes Winry?"Alphonse laughed, "I don't know .Do you think he kisses her?" The two broke out in giggles. Winry smirked waiting for them to notice her. "Al? What do you think a kiss feels like?" The children got speechless Al shrugged and contemplated, "I don't know. . . Like this?" Al leaned forward and brushed his lips against Alex's, they parted, blushing timidly. The blood from her lips had smeared on his_

_Winry cleared her throat and the children looked up, their faces crimson red. , "Winry! We . . . um . . . We err. ." Al was stammering "No I do not kiss Ed, Ed is gross" _

**Present Day**

Ed _was _gross, now he showered. Back then he smelled like dirt and mud. Winry remembered how sweet Alphonse and Alex looked together with their very first kiss. From that moment Winry was sure they would walk down the aisle together. Then the accident happened and the transmutation gone wrong . . . they would never be the same. Al was a suit of armor and Alex was dead. Right?

**The Resembool Train Station**

**Alex**

Alex had been on the train for 2 days. Her back was killing her; she got off the train with the clothes the officers had given her in Central. The clothing included: A long jacket, a hat, jeans, and a black shirt. She searched for the vibrations of moving feet, and avoided people, as she headed towards the Rockbell house.

Alex ran into something hard, very solid. It was metal and void due to the vibrations emanating from the point of collision. "I'm sorry!" Something hit the metal object "What are you blind or something?! How do you run into an 8 foot tall and 500 pound Suit of armor, buddy?" Alex chuckled irreverently, "Actually I am blind." The suit of armor shifted, the boy yelling at her must have moved it. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have been standing there, I'm Alphonse. This is my brother, Ed." Alex froze. Alphonse and Ed ? It must be a mistake . . . then again who else with those names would be in Resembool?

"I'm umm Michael. I've never met a hollow suit of metal before. . ." Ed laughed, "So where are you headed Michael?" Alex smiled softly, she didn't really know. "The Rockbell Automail Repair Shop." Alphonse jumped, making the ground vibrate uncontrollably. Alex wobbled. "Brother she should come with us! We're heading to Winry's too Alex! Please Brother?"

"Okay Al! Jeez! You don't need to start an earthquake!"

_So they really don't remember me. _

_It was a long time ago but still . . . maybe the think I'm dead_

It was very apparent that Ed had mismatched footsteps when he walked. One leg was metal, due to the whirring and clanking of machinery. The other was flesh. "So Michael where are you from?"

" What do you mean?"

"Where are you traveling from?"

"Central"

After about an hour of walking and listening to Ed complain about being Colonel Mustang's subordinate, they were there. "Wait Michael, I forgot what's your business here with the Rockbell's?" Alex didn't know what to say, 'Oh I'm your long-lost friend presumed dead and I've come back home unexpectedly?' or how about, 'I'm Alex Monroe, back from the dead.' Alex thought about it and stated simply, "That's my business"

Alex opened the door and Winry ran to it excitedly, "Ed! Al! You're home!!" Winry stopped running.

"Excuse me sir, who are you?"

"Michael "

Winry was deadly quiet. The aura in the room changed from a happy go lucky reunion to a state of shocked panic. The room was too quiet for Alex's nerves, she cleared her throat.

"OH MY GOSH!" Alex did not know how Winry had managed to recognize her, out of nowhere someone flung their arms around her, knocking the unsuspecting girl to the stairs. Alex breathed heavily taking in the appalling scent of lavender and grease. The body on top of hers was heaving heavily with sobs. " I ththhought you were dead. . . . Ii-it was a- all my fffff-ffault" Alex patted Winry on the head.

" Winry it's okay. . . ." The girl's body was lifted from Alex. Then a large metallic hand picked her up and settled her down on her feet. Alex took a moment to process the sounds and smells of everything around her. She smelled tears, probably Winry's. "You two know each other?" Ed's voice was laced with jealousy. "Yeah Ed of cour-"Alex held her hand over the blonde's mouth

"Yeah we met last summer in Central. . . . We're just friends in case you were wondering." Winry's face was quizzical but she played along.

_If they don't remember me then it's best not to push it. . . . I guess they think I'm a boy because my hair's so short. . . ._

"So Michael, How old are you?" Alphonse asked softly. Alex thought about it. . . She didn't really know about 14 she presumed . . . . "Fourteen, I'm fifteen in June"

**Al's First Person POV**

_Michael is a weird boy; he's almost like a girl. Maybe it's just the way he acts. . . ._

Ed lifted Winry off of Michael, and I picked the poor boy up. He coughed. "You two know each other?"

_Brother. . . maybe you should just drop it, If you won't ask Winry how would she now you like her? She's allowed to see other boys if she's not attached to you. . ._

"Yeah Ed of cour-"Winry had started talking, and Alex's thin hand floated over her lips. He smiled a alluring and pleasant smile, ""Yeah we met last summer in Central. . . . We're just friends in case you were wondering." Alex suddenly reminded me of someone from way back but I couldn't remember.

"So Alex, how old are you?" I looked into Alex's pale blue green eyes and he slowly contemplated. "Fourteen, I'm fifteen in June" I was sure me and Ed had known someone named Alex once, and they looked a lot like Michael. I looked at Michael's eyes they were probably once a brilliant sea green but it looked like an opaque film had been stretched over his eyes. Michael gazed off, unfocused, into the distance.

_Alex_

I have no clue how the name popped into my head. It just did. Then the flash of My old childhood friend. Maybe Michael reminded me of her, maybe not? Me and Ed were already inside sitting on the couch when Winry took Michael to the kitchen. , " Al, do you think this Alex guy is hitting on Winry?" I laughed at Ed so insecure and watching the kitchen half-expecting them to fall out half naked, and making out.

" Brother, I don't think Winry likes Michael. . .He's a little skinny for her tastes" Ed's head snapped up and he looked at me scrutinizing every corner of my metal face. "What would you say is her type?" Brother tried to ask it casually. I smiled," Well she does like the blonde hair." Ed smiled hopefully

"the Muscles" Ed felt his biceps and smiled even wider," So she probably likes Major Armstrong. ." It was probably a cruel thing to due to my poor brother but . . . the look on his face made it all worthwhile. Alex and Winry came out of the kitchen half an hour later with weird, cookie type pastries. Maybe it was just me but Michael looked a little sad.

**Alex's Third Person POV**

Winry had dragged the girl into the kitchen. "What's going on? I only see you for the first time since we were 10 and 11 and you don't even tell Ed and Al it's you? And where's the name Michael come from?" Alex sighed," Win, I don't even quite understand how you knew it was me in the first place. . . Ed and Al don't remember me and they both kind of believe I'm a boy." Winry stared at Alex blankly, Alex also stared blankly, but that was for a different reason.

"They think you're a boy." Alex nodded in the direction of Winry's voice. Winry looked at the girl, she had full angelic lips, with a natural pout, and stunning pale blue green eyes. It was really hard to mistake her for a girl, but this was Ed and Al, she was thinking about. Then again, despite being beautiful, it was possible to mistake the poor girl for a boy. She dressed like one, talked like one, and acted like one. Not to mention she spit, a lot.

"We should probably make something so the boys don't get the wrong impression." Winry nodded, then realized that Alex couldn't see, "Yeah"

When they walked out Alex felt Al's presence, the only male she'd ever grown attached to didn't even recognize her. He noticed she was sad but, he didn't even now Alex was really a girl, and the first girl he had ever kissed.


	3. Negotiations Part One

**Alphonse 3rd Person POV**

Al was staring out of the window. In his mind he saw a 14-year-old version of Alex, smiling up at him. Her soft hand on his and her sea green eyes glancing into his then timidly looking away. Then Michael popped into his mind. Why did Michael look so much like Alex? Al looked up and saw Michael watering the flowers outside. He had almost feminine curves underneath the baggy clothes. Winry went outside and she and Michael started to talk.

**Alex's 3****rd**** person POV**

"Alex, when are you going to tell them?" Alex shook her head gazing off into the distance. "Never if I can get away with it. . ." Winry looked at Alex with a hurt expression. Alex detected the change in emotions due to the silence, "Winry, I know I just got back but I'm . . . not long for this world . . . It'd be better if they didn't know."

"So you're just going to let Al wait until you die again!?" Alex nodded soberly "And what about Ed? What's he going to do when Al realizes he had the chance to say goodbye?" Winry started crying; Alex looked up, not really seeing, but trying to catch Winry's eyes.

"Winry, if they plan on finishing their journey it's best that I don't slow them down." Alex stood up and started to walk away, she didn't get far before she tripped over the watering can. She tripped, and unwittingly fell in the mud from the old leaky can. Covered in mud, Alex struggled to get up, and then she felt a metal hand gently pull her to her feet. "Thanks Al, It's okay if I call you that, right?" Alex looked in the direction she thought the metal boy would be facing. Al nodded, and then he realized that she couldn't see him. "Yes . . . so Michael, where did you grow up?"

Alex had almost forgotten about her made-up name. "Around, I've been to Central, Aquroya, and Lior. . . I'm going to assume you've grown-up here, right?" Al nodded, forgetting about Alex's blindness. "Yeah. . . Do you have any relatives?" Alex heard Winry's footsteps fading off; she had left Alex to talk with Al alone. "Yeah I have an older sister, she left when I was younger. My parents died, I think. . . ." Alex smiled grimly.

**Al's 3****rd**** Person POV**

Al looked at Michael, underneath his hardened and serious exterior, He saw a sarcastic and cynical yet cheerful and benevolent kid, talk about a contradiction. Michael in a way was a little kid. He still had a high-pitched voice and was rather short for a 14-year-old boy. Then again, Ed was shorter than Michael. Al put his hand on Michael's hat. He felt a slight twitch underneath the fabric, "Hey! Do ya mind?!" Michael forced the hat on tighter "S-sorry I just wanted to see something. . ." Al saw what he had needed to see, a lock of onyx black hair fell out and Michael tucked it in.

Michael ran off into the house, leaving Al in the front yard.

**Alex's First Person POV**

I was just glad he didn't see the ears. I was in the bathroom rubbing them; they even felt freakish and weird. My tail was twitching in agitation. Stupid D.N.A., Maybe the only reason I didn't come clean to Ed and Al was because of the experimentation. My ears twitched, almost like a satellite dish. They were picking up something. . .

_"Ed, don't you think Michael's a bit strange?" _ Scraping noises, someone was dragging something heavy and metal towards Ed and Al's room. _"He's just a stupid pretty boy. I bet he has all the women but no class." _The door opened and the voices became more muffled. _"That's not what I meant, Ed. I meant he looks a bit like Alex. . ." "Al, don't start this again. Michael is Michael and Alex is dead. Nothing is going to bring her back." _Something heavy dropped

I left the bathroom adjusting my hat and casually walked into their room. I lay down on one of the beds and looked at the ceiling. I knew exactly where I was but I was going to play dumb. "Uhh, excuse me. . . Michael?" I pretended to jump up in shock, "Edward?! Why are you in mine and Winry's room?" Ed laughed, "Uhh . . . You're in our room" "Oops. . . Sorry" I got up and, _3. . . 2 . . . 1 _"Wait Michael, I want to talk to you."

"What is it Al?" "What's your last name?" I paused, thinking up a name. "Uhh . . . Aldwyn" I might have taken more time than I actually needed to . . ."Sorry, Michael you just seem so familiar."

"It's all right, I get that a lot. Well, uh, I better leave."

**Later (Winry's bedroom) Alex's 1****st**** Person POV**

"Winry? How horrible is this?" I stood there, nervously, in my underwear. I felt my tail hanging down to my calves, and my canine ears twitching. "Alex it's not that bad. You can't even notice it when you wear baggy pants and your hat. You do look really feminine though." "Do you think Ed and Al know?" Winry sighed and laughed at me. "I know they're leaving tomorrow. . . They always do. . They come back then leave" She trailed off. "Be back" I said as I pulled on my baggy clothes and hat.

I ran to Ed and Al's room and felt around for the bed. I sat on it excitedly, "Umm Michael, you're in our room again. . ." "I know, Al I need to ask you something." "What is it?" Ed wasn't in the room so I had to be quick about this. "I want to travel with you and Edward" "What?" I took a deep breath "Well I don't want to be more trouble to Winry and I'm interested in your cause." "Our cause?" I nodded cheerily, "Winry told me almost everything . . . and I know you're looking for the stone. I want to help; I don't want the power or even to use the stone. . . I just want to help." "Why?" Al asked almost taken aback, "Because you and Ed are great alchemists and I know that if you can return to your original forms you can help people."

"You know we don't have our original bodies?" He asked innocently, "The sounds of your steps, it's obvious. So can I join you and Ed? Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssseeee?? " I got on my knees and begged. "Fine. Michael just answer me one question, how did you become blind?" "Equivalent Exchange, Lab technicians tried to play God and I payed their price." "When?" I didn't know what to tell him, "When I was ten, I was kidnapped off the bank of a river. I escaped when the military did an inspection of the lab" Is all I said, before I looked away, remembering his human smile, it would be nice to experience that again.


	4. The Train

**The Train Station Alex's 3****rd**** person POV**

Ed was grumpily sitting on the train next to Alex (Who was delighted, by the way); Al was sitting across from them, amused. This Kodak Moment ™was ruined by screaming in the next compartment, "NO!! STAY AWAY!!!"

Alex was the first to spring up and run recklessly into the next compartment. A blonde woman was forced up against the wall, her skirt flipped upward by a rather bulky heavy-set man. "Hey! Leave her alone!" The man dropped the traumatized woman and turned to Alex, "Stay out of my business boy!" Alex sensed the shifting of the colossal man's weight, as he moved to punch him, and ducked. Then the man did something unexpected, he pulled out a knife. Alex, partially enjoyed the combat, grinning joyfully. Alex was too busy playfully dodging the bulk of his fist to notice the blade. Alex crumpled to floor, the smile erased with a face filled with agony and terror and bleeding copiously. Ed and Al had seen the man stab Alex in the stomach and twist the knife in an odd direction. "Brother! Take Michael back to the compartment!"

Ed carried Alex to the compartment and lifted her shirt to bandage the wound. His eyes got large as he realized _Michael's a girl? _Her brassiere was even visible, and covered in blood. There was time later to be in shock, he tore a piece off his jacket and wrapped it tightly to her body. He replaced the shirt and held pressure to her wound. Al came back in carrying the near-raped catatonic woman he laid on the other bench, "Are you hurt?" he asked her gently, she snapped out of it and shook her head. Al ran back to the next compartment.

Alex woke up and removed her bandage, "What happened?" She asked unsteadily "You were stabbed In the stomach" Ed said calmly. Alex tried to sit up but pushed her down. "Your name isn't Michael is it?"

**Ed's 1****st**** person POV**

Michael passed out as soon as I asked him . . . her. To be fair He. . . She had already lost a lot of blood. The blonde woman was crying in her sleeves. I went to comfort her for a while, "Ma'am are you hurt?" She shook her head, "No, I'm fine now. . ." "Do you mind telling me what happened?" She slumped back and recounted the incident. " I was sitting there, looking out the window, when he came in the compartment asking for a dollar. . . I turned into my purse to give him one when he. . . ." She looked at Michael, "Is that boy alright???" Michael was a ghostly pale, and limply hung from his . . . her seat. Blood curdled out of his . . . her mouth sickeningly, I ran over and held her gently in his arms her head fell back and she screamed in pain. She wasn't holding her wound she was holding her head, "NOOOO!!!! GET AWAY!!!! I DON'T WANT YOUR WIRES NOOOOOOOOO!!!! NO!!!! NOT ANOTHER ONE!!!" She was having a nightmare or a flashback. Al ran in and took her from me, "Ed . . . We need to get Michael to a doctor. That man's knife had poison on it." Michael screamed again "What kind of poison?!?" Al shrugged, "I don't know. . ."

"KARA!!!! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!?!?!" Al nearly dropped her, _Kara_? Why was that name so familiar . . . Alex's sister? Why did this girl know Kara?

**Alex's 3****rd**** Person POV (The Flashback)**

___Kara held the girl's throat, "Alex, how did you get here? Don't you know your genetics are immensely inferior? Why don't you think I brought you in the first place?" She dropped the ten year old on the floor and shook her head slowly. "Never mind that let's see what they're fusing you with. . . A Canine? Honestly that'll never do! Maybe you'd be better off as an Insect . . . or a Rat." Kara grabbed the rodent from the bag before the cruel faced woman snatched it away from her, "NO!! YOU BUMBLING IDIOT!! We've already made such progress with the girl we isolated the desirable qualities of the canine and instilled them in her do you want to ruin that to settle a grudge?!?!?!?" _

_She dropped Alex, "Kara . . . let me go home . . . please. . ." Kara gave her a nasty hateful smile, "Oh Alex, how naïve do you honestly think that they would accept you? Do you know how ridiculous you look like with four ears and a doggie tail? So why don't you go sit in your corner and play dead?" Alex fell and let her sister and the Cruel-faced woman attach wire to her head and chest. The dead dog lay to her right. The sparks of the transmutation began to form with her and the dog . . . something went wrong . . . she couldn't see. Alex yelled in fear. She could hear things she couldn't before and the scents overwhelmed her. Her senses exploded . . . but she couldn't see._

**Alphonse 3****rd**** Person POV**

Brother and I were freaking out. Michael had lost nearly two pints of his blood and was unconscious. Brother seemed really worried about him. That was odd. Brother wouldn't let me see His wounds. Then again it was probably so they wouldn't get infected.

We were hundreds of miles away from a hospital, and the poison would probably kill him before we got to one. Michael began screaming over and over again. His short hair was drenched in sweat. The woman was woken up by Michael's frantic screams. "ALPHONSE!!!!" and Michael fell limp yet again.

Author note: Sorry it's so short. . . . I don't have a lot of time before my deadline . . .


	5. Chimeras

**Teacher's House Alex 3****rd**** Person POV**

I woke up in Izumi Curtis's house. "Thank you teacher for letting him stay here the week. "Him?" Izumi's voice was confused , "Yeah Michael. . ." "Wait that isn't a-" "Al! Your cookies are burning!!!" "Ahhhh!" "Edward! WHY DOES ALPHONSE THINK SHE'S A BOY?" A large slamming noise occurred. Alex sat up, "Oh Alex you're awake. . ."

"Hey Izumi. Hi Ed. . . . Wait Ed. . . . My name isn't Alex! It's Michael!" "Yeah Alex, nice try we know. So why did you convince us you were a boy?" "I know if you'd known it was me, I wouldn't get to travel with you and Al." "Alex. . . Do you even realize how much Al has agonized over your death?" "He even confided into me that he thought he'd finally gone crazy when he saw Michael. He told me, ' this is it brother She's haunting me because I let her fall into the river all those years ago. . . I should have held her. . . Why is she haunting me?' Alex you go in there right now and explain to him everything!!" Alex looked in Ed's direction, "Ed, I can't." "Why not?" "I love him, and if I did it would hurt him, he'd ask questions like 'Why did you come back now?' 'Where were you?!' I can't relinquish those details to him." "I f you love him like you say you do you'd tell him!" "Edward. . . . no . . . sometimes it doesn't always work that way." "B-but Teacher. . . ."

Izumi stood there fixated on some sort of memory. Ed finally spoke, "Where were you anyway?" "Laboratory Three, do you remember the scandal at Lab Five a few weeks ago? Well another fiasco happened when those prisoners were stealthily moved to the other facility. A prisoner escaped. They called in a tip and the building was investigated using the excuse of, ' remodeling inspections , to see if the labs were stable.' I was living there while they performed inhumane experiments on me. Is that what you wanted to hear, Ed?" "What kind of inhumane experiments?" Ed asked warily looked at her eyes. Alex sighed and took off her hat. "Do you know what it's like to be eternally bound to a canine, Ed?" "You're a chimera. . ." "I don't want Al to know this." "Alex you're going to have to say something eventually."

"When Ed? I'm a freak . . . " "He thinks you're dead Alex. . . He loved you . . . loves you. You being different wouldn't change that. "Izumi's comment came out of nowhere. "He 'loved' me?" "He still does. . . Do you know the real reason why he sits at the river's edge? It's you Alex. . ." "Izumi, how do you know this?" "Back when you were children, younger children, He used to blabber in his sleep."

Al returned, "Ed! You liar! The cookies weren't even brown yet. Michael, you should lie down, you got really hurt." "Sorry, just got a little excited." Ed and Izumi left, Alex could tell by there footsteps. "I heard voices when I was out there. . . Michael . . . how much do you know about Alex?" "I know she was a little girl who . . . died?" "Michael . . . can I trust you enough to tell you something?" "Yeah . . . of course, what is it Al?" "N-never mind. . ."

**The Rockbell Residence One Month Later**

**Alex's 3****rd**** Person**

"Winry pass me the water bucket!" Alex hadn't come out and proved to Al that she was his long lost childhood sweetheart. Last she'd heard he and Ed were in Lior. Ed had forced Ales to go back under the pretenses "A blind fourteen-year-old girl should NOT be fighting homunculi!" She was making good use of herself as a doctor. With her acute hearing and sense of touch, she could heal nearly all ailments. Now she was in the middle of delivering a child.

"Alex!! You forgot to pay the water bill!" "How the hell do you expect me to pay a water bill I CAN'T SEE?!" "The woman in labor was crying, "It's okay . . . your baby is in safe hands!" Alex tried distracting the woman , "I didn't catch your name. . . Uhh . . ." "It's Rose. . Her name is Rose." "Winry, who else's is here?" "It's okay Alex, it's just another girl, and she's a little shorter than you and has longer hair." Alex nodded and delivered a healthy baby boy. She asked Winry to cut the umbilical cord.

"So where are you two from?" "Lior" Lior was halfway across the world. "Lior is far away, how did you come to a small town like Resembool?" "Like this. . ." Unbeknownst to Alex while Winry was in the kitchen cleaning the doctor tools, Lyra, the other girl, held up the newborn to her eyes. Alex's eyes were always opened; well whatever Lyra did with the child it forced Alex in front of the gate.

**The Gate**

"AAARRRRRRRGGHH!!!!" Alex fell before the gate to find that she could see. The gate children spilled out and wrapped themselves around her. They were bonding into her . . . she _saw_ everything. . . the way to get her sight back . . . The secrets of alchemy . . ._everything_. She saw her sight in the hands of a gate child. "HEY MY SIGHT, GIVE THAT BACK YOU LITTLE CREEP!!" Alex grabbed the weird orb looking thing and put it in her eye. She had freed herself of the gate children. "What are you going to do now that you can see Alex?" Alex turned around to see Lyra. "I'm guessing you're Lyra, I'm not sure what the hell you did, but I'm leaving." "Oh, yeah . . . well you can't leave until the gate has its sacrifice." "Hmm. . ." Alex walked over to Lyra and pushed her to the gate. The children swallowed her up.

A small door opened and Alex walked through it.

**The Rockbell's Living Room**

"Alex!" Alex opened her eyes to see Winry, sobbing. "Winry . . ." Winry stopped crying and hugged Alex. Alex took a breath, there were colors everywhere. "Winry I can see. . . "

**East HQ**

"I've decided Al; I'm going to Lior alone. I need to see for myself." Alex waited in the bushes while Ed left. When Ed had finally left, Alex walked out and found Al standing there watching where his brother had been minutes before. "Al. . ." "Aarrrggh!!" Al got into a fight mode, "Oh it's just you . . . Is something wrong Michael . . . why are you way over here in the East?" "Al . . . I have a secret to tell you. Well a few secrets. Just promise me, no matter how far-fetched they seem that you'll listen to them all." "Why are you telling me this Michael?" "Well, my name isn't Michael."

"What is it then?" I took a deep breath, his armor couldn't betray his emotions but his voice sounded scared and confused. "It's. . . Alex. My name is Alex." "N-no it can't be?" The armor took a step backwards. "Al, it's me. . ." "No! you can't be her! She died!" "Al, I didn't die, I was kidnapped!" "Let me finish, when I fell into the river, I didn't die. A man searching for children to fuel his experiments dragged me from the river. They separated us into cells, and transmuted us. That's when I became blind." "Why didn't you just say that in the first place!?"

"I'm a freak Al; I didn't want to trouble you with that." "You're a freak? At least you have a body." I lifted up my hat and pulled out my canine tail. "Yeah you don't have animal parts." Al laughed in his armor, and looked at Alex "Wait. . . How did you know where to find me?"

Alex recounted the story of Lyra and the baby. "Now you can see." "Yep, and Al believe me, you're definitely not a freak." Alex chuckled. "Wait! You said that those girls' name were Lyra and Rose?!" Alex nodded. "Yeah, and I pushed the one with short hair into the gate. Is something wrong?""I know them . . ." "How?" Al proceeded to tell her about Lyra and Rose. "So Lyra's the girl from Aquroya, and Rose is the highly religious girl from Lior? If she's so religious then why was she pregnant before marriage?" "That's what I was wondering." They sat there outside and contemplated for a while. "Hey! You! You're not allowed on military grounds!" "Uhh . . . see you later Al." Alex took off running. She could see but her senses had not depleted. Her sense of smell and hearing were still the best in the whole country of Amestris.

She was walking around the base after she escaped her pursuers. She was enjoying the new smells and sounds now that she could see their source. She heard yelling, "KIMBILEE!" "MARTEL NO!!" It just sounded bad. . . Alex climbed up to the window and saw . . . a future.

_Blood was pouring out of Al's armor "Thank you Alphonse you've just assisted in killing a chimera. I'm very proud of you." Al made noises like he was about to cry_.

Alex didn't know where it came from; all she knew was that she had to stop it. She ran to the spot she saw it happen. "Okay lessee. . . . Okay earthy materials . . . I just need water. There!" Alex filled soft clay . . . thing (You perverts shut up) with 'blood'. It was the color and components of blood without the heart to pump it. She saw Martel running. "Wait!" Martel turned "What do you want kid?" "Okay I have a plan. When you go into Al's armor tonight . . . slide this in as well then escape through the loin cloth." "What?!" "Just do it! But make it fast!" "What are you going on about?" "Just do it! There he is!" " Promise me it won't hurt him." "I've been in love with him since I was six, do you think I'd want to hurt him? Immediately afterwards come me at that tree over there." Martel ran off and Alex ran towards the tree.

**Five Minutes Later**

"How did you know that the Furher was going to do that?" "I just knew . . . listen I know you and I are alike, I wanted to save Al the trouble of seeing someone else die. I'll explain to him when things quiet down. Leave this base, take my money, and I'll meet you in 6 months in Resembool. Don't make contact with anyone until then, even Al." "What did you mean like me?" Alex took a breath and removed her hat, "I'm a chimera too. Alex then handed her a money pouch. It's not much but it should get you to a town called Resembool, go to a two story yellow house and ask for Winry tell her Alex sent you, I'll call her ahead of time."

"Why are you doing this again?" "Well, us 'freaks' have got to stick together, and besides any friend of Al is a friend of mine." Martel smiled and ran away "Alex ran over to Al, who was sobbing "Alphonse! What's wrong?!" "THEY KILLED MARTEL!" "No they didn't" Alex whispered to him softly, "I'll explain later; look depressed while I clean your armor."


	6. Morbidity is Not Means to an End

Author Note: Umm yeah I know in the show they actually show Martel dead, but _pretend_ she isn't k? Well at least if anyone is reading this. . . . Read and Review if you have the time!! Slightly AR (Alternate Reality) chapter. Oh yeah and I put Alex in a Mary-Sue litmus test . . . she's in danger. . . . I'm going to try and save her, it may be too late *sob* Pray for her!

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Alex was scrubbing the blood off Alphonse's armor careful to avoid the blood seal. They remained quiet; Alex's slow and deliberate breathing was the only sound breaking the silence. "You're going after Edward, right?" "Yeah." Alex sighed and stood up, the armor was clean. "I'll meet you in Resembool, in about a week. " "Alex, how do you know it's going to be a week?"

Alex thought about it wringing out the bloody rag, "Well, with all the military tension, I'm guessing that you and Ed are going to get into some sort of trouble and will need a place to hide." She grinned; her front tooth was chipped a little bit. She turned around to leave when Al grabbed her hand, "Alex I need to tell you something before you leave." "What is it Alphonse?" "The Furher is a homunculi. . ." "Wait, wha?" "The things you and Ed have been fighting? The humans with no souls?" Al nodded, "Yeah, Martel told me and I saw the Ouroboros tattoo on his eye! The one he covers with the eye patch!"

"The leader of our country is a homunculus, and you chose to tell me now, after he got away." Al nodded, "Yeah. . ." "Great! Now I know how Ed feels . . . "I couldn't believe that the ruler of Amestris was a homunculus, it seemed extraordinary, and yet in some bizarre way it made sense. We sat there on the concrete that was steadily growing colder. Al finally broke the silence, "I'm going after Ed, meet you in a week?" "Yeah, stay safe okay Al?" Alex had travelled for four days only to travel back after a few hours. It was worth it to hear the excitement in Alphonse's voice, and to hear this new information about King Bradley. I had to hurry back to Resembool to tell Winry.

**The Train Station **

"Finally, I'm back!" Alex stretched out and looked around She saw a middle aged man with a long blonde pony-tail, talking to two girls "Sara, is that you?" The girl's ran off. "Hey mister, I've never seen you in Resembool?" He turned to Alex and smiled, "Well you're much too young to have remembered me." "What's your name old man?" He smiled and they started to walk "Call me Hohenheim, what's your name?" Alex thought for a second about whether or not she could trust this man, he seemed nice, but after four years of being tortured and experimented on being 'nice' wouldn't cut it. "You do . . . have a name, don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do." "You're afraid you can't trust me, well I wouldn't blame you I can seem pretty untrustworthy." Alex smiled at the man, who looked discouraged, "My name's Alex." His gold eyes darkened, "That's a nice name . . . how old are you, Alex?" Alex raised an eyebrow "Why do you want to know?" "Just humor me. " "I'm 14-ish" Hohenheim smiled, "So I guess you know Edward and Alphonse." Alex stiffened "Why are they in some sort of trouble?" "No, not that I'm aware of. Why would you assume that?" "N-no reason."

"How do you know Ed and Al?" Hohenheim coughed, "I'm their father." Alex froze and shrieked, "You're the asshole that left them!?" "I had to, you wouldn't understand unless. . ." Alex slapped him and ran. She tripped over a rock and rolled, scraping herself. She rolled down the ragged dirt road, cutting and grazing herself until she stopped at the bottom, bleeding profusely. "Oww." Alex turned around, "Good, no one saw that." She lay there for a moment, breathing in the fresh smog-free air. HONK! HONK!! She sat up and a little car was making its way down the road. She rolled out of the road as it clunked past. She felt the dull pain on her extremities; she glanced down at the smeared blood on her right arm and sighed.

_How can he show up randomly in Resembool? Who does he think he is?! Good thing Edward and Alphonse aren't here to see him. Ed would freak out. . . Then Al would get all hopeful and loving, like only he knows how. Then SMASH! Hohenheim would break his heart into the ground. Al is so naïve sometimes. . . ._

Alex snapped back to reality. She was lying on the side of the dirt road, scraped and bleeding. She shook off the dull pain and stood up stretching. "Well better get home . . . wonder what Winry's been up to the past few days.

**Three Months Later**

A/N: Yeah I know I skipped a lot of stuff, but you all know what happened next in the anime, and Alex didn't really fit into it, on-the-verge-almost-Mary Sues have other things to do too . . . besides ruin the anime version of FMA. . . .

Winry was trying to fatten Alex up, the doctor had given her a check-up the month before, after Ed had gone through the gate and ten-year-old Alphonse came back asleep in Major Armstrong's arms, she was dangerously underweight. "WINRY I'LL GAIN WEIGHT ON MY OWN!! I DON'T NEED YOU FORCE FEEDING ME!!!" The blonde threw a wrench at the 14 year-old's head. "ALEX GET BACK HERE!!!" A door slammed and the girls froze and turned to Pinako standing there smoking her pipe, "You two better shut up or you'll wake Alphonse."

"Sorry Auntie! I'm going to pack up . . . my . . . things for Dublith and skip out on the third breakfast Winry's making me eat." "Alright" I went to mine and Winry's room and grabbed my packed messenger bag from under my bed. I crawled out my window and knocked on Alphonse's window. "_Pssst . . . Alphonse . . ." _He opened the window, grinned and hopped out with his knap sack. "Ready Alex?" "Duh, let's hurry before-"

"Before what? Before big bad Winry notices Al's gone from his bed?" Alex stood in front of Alphonse protectively, "H-hey Winry! We're just playing . . . cops and runaway criminals. . . ." Winry glared down on them, "Okay Alex, I'll be the cop. . . And you are the runaway criminal." Alex turned around and pushed Al, "RUN!!!!!!!" They ran clumsily down the road, Winry chasing them. "Hurry up Alex!!" "I'm trying my legs aren't as long as yours Al!"

They got to the train station ,huffing and puffing. " Two . . . huff. . . . tickets. . . please. . . huff. . ." "Good morning Alphonse, good morning Alex. . . Where to?" "Du-hff- blith . . ." "Alright, children ten and under ride free today that will be one ninety-six, Alex." Alex placed the money into the woman's hand and her and Al jumped on the train. Alphonse was 3 years younger than she was, but four and a half inches taller. Winry kept saying it was only because she was so malnourished, and that she had a few inches to go, but 5'0" was not cutting it.

Alex fell asleep against Alphonse on the train; her romantic feelings for him were fading away, while his were just blooming. He was brought back at the age of ten, when he had first started falling in-love with the dark-haired girl. When they told him what happened, and that she was older than him he was shocked, she was still the same. Three years of experiments had kept her mentally 10 years old; not permanently of course, she was finally mentally growing up.

"Alex. . ." He nudged her, her hair was a total mess, and she blinked a few times, waking up. "Huh?" "We kissed once. . . I just remembered." "We did?" Alex got up and stretched, "Hmm . . . don't remember." "It was a long time ago." Alex looked at Al who was blushing intensely, "Is something wrong Al?" "N-no. Just remembered that thing" "Okay."

Alex looked at him; she knew exactly why he'd brought it up. He had a crush on her, she smiled softly and blushed until she remembered their age difference. She was three years older than him, technically. Biologically he was three months older; this confusing thought process was messing with her mind. _It's wrong . . . that's all there is to it, he may be biologically older than me but he's physically and mentally ten years old._

Alex started coughing. "You alright Alex?" "Yeah, I'm fine Alphonse." She kept coughing and coughing, she started to get pale then she collapsed. Everything started moving slowly. Al jumped up and screamed, "HELP WE NEED A DOCTOR!!" A man jumped down from his seat on the train, WE HAVE A CHILD BETWEEN THE AGES OF NINE AND ELEVEN, IS ANYONE HERE A DOCTOR!?!?!" Alphonse squeaked, "She's fourteen"

**Dublith**

When the train arrived in Dublith Alex was carried out to the hospital immediately, something was wrong with her insides. The doctor on a train worked primarily with farm animals, he said that if Alex was a dog that she had only about a month to live but because she was human, he said she was probably alright. Through some stroke of luck her hat hadn't fallen off when she collapsed. Alex was part dog, because she was a chimera.

They took Alex to the hospital; she had contracted a disease that only dogs could get. Her body was shutting down slowly. "Alphonse. . . I'm sorry." "Alex it's . . . not your fault." "Go to Izumi's house so you train to be an alchemist again, meet up with Edward." "Alex, don't do this. . ."

**Germany Ed's 3****rd**** person POV**

It was a few months after I had come to this other world; I met a boy who looked like Alphonse, a woman who looked like Winry. He tried to convince himself things were the same, Greta, Winry's parallel self, was going to be the world's first female engineer. Alfonse, the parallel half of his little brother, was studying rockets. Ed sat on the large puffy chair in Alfonse's living room, looking out the window; A Theory of Modern Chemistry book was in his hands, He heard a knock on the window, then another louder knock.

The third knock broke the window. Ed stood up and ran towards the window; a child was standing there, getting yelled at by an older girl. "MOM SAID YOU COULDN'T LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A KIMONO!!! YOU LOOK LIKE A MESSENGER BOY!" Ed watched as the older girl pushed the younger one onto the ground. "THEN YOU GO AND BREAK THESE PEOPLE'S WINDOW, YOU KNOW WE CAN'T AFFORD THE REPAIRS!!" "I'm sorry. . . I wanted to see if the boy inside wanted to play . . ." The older girl, Zi slapped the girl harder. Ed coughed and the older girl turned around, "Sorry sir, about my sister, Yu Bai, She's only nine. We'll fix your window."

The small girl was wearing patched overalls, she stood up, tears streaming down her face and bowed. "I'm Sorry, Sir." The older girl was afflicted with a mild accent, "Where are you two from?" Ed looked at the younger girl, she reminded him so much of Alex, her shy smile and her tendency to want to be a boy. "We're from China!" Bai smiled and Zi slapped her again "IDIOT-GIRL! STOP TELLING PEOPLE WHERE WE'RE FROM!"

Zi bowed down slightly, "She has disgraced our family, again" Zi shot the small girl a rude look, "To restore our honor she'll be left with you, kind and noble sir to fill any required service." Bai's eyes widened, "No! Zi don't leave me here! What if he hurts me like papa hurt Qiuyue! ZI!" "Too bad!, YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DISHONORED THE YU FAMILY NAME!!"

The girl slumped down and a few tears fell, "My name is Yu Bai and I'm at your service. I am nine years old; I can cook, clean, and play piano." Ed shook his head, stand back, "I've got to clean this glass up before Alfonse returns." The girl climbed through the window and proceeded to collect the large shards of glass, Ed joined her "Let me get the small pieces, I don't want you to get cut." Afterwards Ed put out his hand for her to shake it. "I'm Edward Elric, and oh! You're bleeding." Ed's eyes got big. Bai looked down at her hand and got scared, there was a large gash.

Bai was sitting on the counter as Edward bandaged her hands. "So when's your sister coming back for you?" Bai looked up and shrugged, "When I restore our honor, I messed up bad this time. I'm not supposed to talk to German's or the Gypsy's. I broke your window. . . Zi or Mama will come back when our honor is returned."


	7. Innocence Lost

She whimpered when she saw the blood leaking through the bandages. "Make it go away . . . please. . ." "What's your problem?!" Edward stood there looking at her with an extremely annoyed look. "It's scary. . ." "What is?" She sniffed and more blood oozed through the bandage, "Blood. . ." Ed re-bandaged her, she smiled.

Ed was pissed off; he didn't know how to take care of kids. Now there was this nine-year-old kid sitting on Alfonse's kitchen counter swinging her legs and singing, terribly. He paced back and forth. "When are they coming back for you?" The girl sighed and hopped off the counter, "I've told you a thousand times, when our honor is restored." Ed sighed, 'How long might that be?"

Bai thought about it for a few seconds, "Well, when my brother Yue ran into a Gypsy woman and knocked her over, Papa left him with her for a year. . ." "Wow, you guys have one screwed up culture." "Well, it's not really our culture; it's the way our family is."

" _. . .It's the way my family is . . . what about yours and Alphonse's I heard you met your dad a while back. . ." _Ed shook off the weird feeling of Déjà Vu. "How many brothers and sisters do you have?" "Well Papa had quite a few mistresses, so I think twenty-six or twenty-seven." "Twenty-seven. . ." "Mama only had Zi and Qiu Yue; she's not really my mother. . . She just pretends 'cause she thinks I'm too young to know." The girl smiled innocently up at him ,her dark brown eyes were not participating in the smile.

There was a crash in the living room. Bai snapped out of her fake smile and ran towards the room; Edward couldn't pull her back in time. In the living room Alfonse had knocked over the coat rack into a vase and the vase had fallen. Bai stood there stifling a laugh. "Alfonse, are you alright?" Edward asked leaning over to poke Alfonse who was face down on the carpet. "Mmmph mmph" "Mr. Edward do you think he's dead?" Edward rolled Alfonse over, to see his face flushed, "Edward I got accepted to be one of the scientist's aides in a project." He grinned his flushed face reddening, "I start tomorrow." Edward felt Alfonse's head , "You have a fever, stupid." "I know, but I got the job." Edward picked up the 14-year-old boy who was nearly limp. His head rolled over to face Bai "Who's the girl?" "Long story I'll tell you tomorrow. . ."

Hours later, Bai was sitting in one of the living room chairs with one of Edward's shirts as a nightie. Edward was in the other chair reading a book about chemistry. Bai was staring at Edward making him feel uncomfortable, "Excuse me, do you mind not staring?" "I'm bored. . ." Edward sighed and put down the book, "Then go to bed. . ." "I can't not until you tell me a story." Ed rolled his eyes and the girl ran ahead of him to her make-shift bed made of sofa cushions and an extra blanket.

He sat down cross-legged with an annoyed look plastered on his face. "What kind of story do you want to hear?" "The good kind . . . obviously" He sighed, "Aren't you a bit old for bed-time stories?" She shook her head vigorously, "Never in a million years. . ." He took a breath and started

_Alright, now sit the hell down Bai, This starts off in an alternate universe . . . An alternate universe is a place not quite like the ones you know. . . . ._

The girl was asleep before Ed finished telling her about how he and Alphonse made Winry a doll using Alchemy. He realized that this girl was this world's Alex, maybe now that he had found this world's Alex he would find this world's Winry. He got up and stretched out his legs, he walked to Alfonse's room and checked on his temperature before collapsing on his bed next to the boxes with his prosthetic limbs.

**The Next Morning**

"Mr. Edward!! Come quick!" Edward's eyes opened and he jumped out of bed and ran, he saw Alfonse fighting Bai to get out of bed, "I need to go to work!" "No you're too sick!" Edward let out a deep breath, "What's going on here?" "Mr. Edward He's too sick to go anywhere! His fever is one hundred and two degrees!" "I can still go to work it's very important that I do!" The girl sat on top of him pushing him down "No! Stay in bed!"

Alfonse threw the girl off him, she hit the bed post as she fell getting cut just below her eye. Alfonse stopped thrashing and looked at her lifting a hand to touch her face. She looked at her blood gushing out and started to bawl uncontrollably. "I-I'm sorry! Are you okay?!" Alfonse worriedly leaned over the bed and Edward jumped down to her level to take a look at the wound, "It just missed her eye. . . Alfonse apply pressure to her wound while I get a bandage!" Alphonse lifted the girl back onto the bed and clamped his hand over her eye. She didn't fight him but she was still sobbing. "I get it . . . you're afraid of the blood. . ."

Edward returned and bandaged the little girl. She stopped crying after the blood was washed away. "She's afraid of blood. . ." "Alfonse lay down I'll call your boss for you, you're too sick to go in today." Alfonse jumped out of bed, but was too lightheaded and fell back, "That's what I thought, get some rest."

"Bai, do you think you can run to Alfonse's work for me and tell his boss he's sick?" "Sure Mr. Edward!" She got up and ran out of the door.

_Wow she's such a good kid; I don't know what her sister's problem with her was. . . . Oh Crap! I didn't tell her where he worked!"_

**Amestris **

**3****rd**** Person POV**

Alex was staring at the ceiling, coughing. Alphonse was sitting at her bedside, "Alex, I love you. . ." "I know Alphonse . . . I love you too, you're the little brother I never wanted, heh. Just kidding." Al sat there looking at his friend, "Alex I love you more than that." Alex stared at him awkwardly for a few minutes Alex was pretty average looking, one really had to look to find her redeeming qualities, but to Alphonse at that moment she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen., "Al, I'm three years older than you, It's wrong. . ." Alphonse shook his head, tears rolling down his cheek, "I know, but Alex I've always loved you."

"Alphonse, you heard the doctors, I only have a month or so to live, I'm too much older than you, and even if I did love you I'm too different. I'd hurt you Alphonse." Alphonse's brown eyes were driving her insane as they slowly filled up with tears. "Alphonse don't cry, seriously. I'm not joking . . ." The eleven-year-old boy wiped away his tears and tried his best to smile.

"Alphonse, are you going to be okay?" He nodded, "Alex I have a question, Why are you using my whole name? I've never heard you do that." "I don't know, just trying it out I guess." They sat there in silence for a long time, Alphonse was getting sadder but he stayed there by her side. She went to sleep after a long while.

"Goodnight, Alex. . ." He bent down and kissed her cheek.

**Germany**

Bai was walking circumspectly through the streets, she was lost. "Why didn't that dummy tell me where Mr. Alfonse works. . ." Her head was getting sore, Bai doubled over in pain in the middle of the crowded sidewalk. She started to cry. Then she heard a calm sweet sounding voice in her head

_Hello? Is someone there?_

I'm Here

_Who Are you?_

Bai. . . . Wait why are you in my head?!

_I'm not in your head you're in my head. . . ._

Who are you?

_Alex. . . (_A/N: I know how many people hate these interruptions but seriously how many of you were expecting that *watches as everyone raises their hands*) _You sound really far away, where are you?_

Germany

_Where's that?_

I'm not really sure.

The voice kept talking to her calmly, in her head.

_Why were you crying, Bai?_

I'm lost. . .

_Look around you, what do you see?_

I see . . . a shop . . . a policeman . . .

The girl continued to name off things she saw and Alex listened, this girl wasn't very old. She'd take a guess at about eight or nine. Maybe Bai was a hallucination brought on by her illness; she kept her company while Alphonse was off training.

Alex . . . Are you still there?

_Yes, talk to the policeman maybe he can help you get home._

Policemen don't like Chinese immigrants

_What's Chinese?_

Were did you grow up, in a cave?

_I grew up in Amestris, Me and my sister were the victims of an attack on our country, Xing._

Where's that?

_Now who's grown up in a cave?_

**Amestris**

"Alex!" Alex was shaken awake by Alphonse who was on the verge of tears, "Wha?" Alex sat up in her hospital bed, disoriented. "You weren't responding, you were just staring up at the ceiling." Alphonse buried his face in Alex's blanket, his tears seeping through the thin cloth, "Alphonse, c'mon! Boys aren't supposed to cry!" "I thought you were dying, I've been trying to get you to respond for half an hour. . . ." "So Bai was a hallucination . . ." "Bai?"

"Nothing. . ." Alphonse stood up, his eyes were puffy and red, "I miss Edward" Alex smiled empathetically at Alphonse. _So that's what's been bothering him. . . ._ "I know you do. . . Me and Winry miss him too." Alphonse climbed into Alex's bed and lay down next to her, just like he used to when Edward kicked him out of his bed.

**7 Years Ago**

"Alphonse! Get out of the bed you're going to wet it again!" Ed pushed his younger brother out of the bed they shared. Alphonse's eye welled up and he shoved Ed and ran. He jumped out of the window, scratching himself on a nail. The seven year old boy ran to Winry's house and climbed through the window.

"Who's there?" A small scared voice called out from the back of the room. "It's me Alphonse . . ." "Oh. Ed kicked you out of bed again?" "Yeah, can I sleep in your bed again Alex?" The girl shifted to let him have some room.

**The Elric Home**

"Goodnight my Ed, Prince of Cool" Trisha Elric stoop in the dim light of the door way. Edward yawned, "Night Mom. . ." "Goodnight Alphonse, my little sweetheart. . ." Trisha waited for her son's usual response of, "Night mommy, I love you!" She got a little worried and walked to her son's bed. "Edward is Alphonse asleep?" Trisha Elric let out a loud scream when she realized Alphonse wasn't there.

**The Rockbell Home**

_"PINAKO! ALPHONSE IS MISSING!"_ Pinako Rockbell was on the telephone talking to a hysterical Trish Elric "Calm down Trisha, how long ago did he disappear?" _"I haven't seen him since dinner time! I thought he was out playing!"_ "Check outside and I'll call Melanie to check the mine. . . Don't panic I'm sure he's around somewhere."

Upstairs, Alphonse was unaware of his mother's frantic search. He was fast asleep in Alex's bed, breathing deeply. Pinako ran into the girl's room and flicked on the lights, "Girls, Alphonse has gone missing we have to go look for. . . . ." She saw the boy in Alex's bed and smiled. She went downstairs, and called Trisha back. "Trisha he's here in bed." A sigh of relief washed over Trisha Elric's face half a mile away. "Thank you, Pinako. I'll come to pick him up in a few minutes." "Don't worry about it Trisha, I'll send him home in the morning."

**Present Day**

Alphonse fell asleep clutching Alex close to him, Alex was breathing deeply, and mumbling in her sleep. Izumi walked in on the odd sleeping arrangement looking for Alphonse, who hadn't shown up to training. She stood there, unsmiling, at the children. She walked over to Alphonse shook him awake, and sternly glared at him. He let go of Alex slowly so she wouldn't wake up and walked away with his teacher.

"What were you doing with her?" Alphonse shook his head, "Nothing teacher we were talking and then I fell asleep. . ." Izumi glared at Al, "Why didn't you show up for training?" Alphonse took a deep breath, "I wasn't feeling well."Izumi looked at Alphonse up and down and slapped him, "You're coming to live with me if you want to learn alchemy. You will not be allowed unsupervised visits with Alexandria until you learn." She slapped him again and his eyes welled up, "Yes, Teacher."

**3 years later**

Alphonse was at the hospital, talking to the doctor about a patient in the room across the hall. "It's a miracle she's survived this long Mr. Elric, but it may just be time to let go. Her lungs are failing and she has no appetite." Alphonse Elric from a distance looked exactly like his elder brother. Closer up, his eyes and hair were darker, and he was taller than his brother had been at his age. "Thank you for everything doctor, I'm going to go in and visit her."

A frail looking teenage girl was looking at the ceiling. In her mind she was talking to a twelve-year-old girl in Germany, to everyone else she had cracked years ago from her illness. Alphonse was the only who wasn't convinced she was insane. "What does Bai have to say today?" he asked as he sat next to the seventeen-year-old girl

"She's helping Alfonse at work, she's twelve now and they let her be a messenger for the scientists. Al, what did the doctor say?" Alphonse smiled sadly and tried to feed her the candied plums he'd snuck in specifically for her, "Start eating Alex or you'll never get better. . ." She rolled her eyes, "I think everyone lost hope in me getting better when Bai started to talk to me. . .Do they still think I'm insane?" Alphonse nodded; Alex tried to eat the plum but threw up immediately after.

Alphonse waited outside while the nurses cleaned up the mess. He looked at the ceiling _Maybe it is time to let her go. . . _When the nurses left he walked back in, Alex's face was contorted into a weird shape. "Bai is in trouble. . ."

ALEX!! Help! I'm going to fall

_Bai, where are you?_

A man chased me into an alley I climbed a fire escape and it's breaking.

_Bai, how much further is it to the roof?_

Two stories maybe three. . . It is five stories to the ground.

_Find a window, break it and climb through._

"Alex. . . . Is Bai alright?" Alex shook her head, worried. "A man chased her up a fire escape five stories up and she's about to fall." Alphonse sat down and tried to run his finger through Alex's hair, a clump of it fell into his hand. _Even her hair is weak. . ._ He threw her hair to the side. She hadn't felt her hair fall out. "Alphonse, why can't I breathe?" Alex started to panic and thrash around. Alphonse screamed for a doctor.

She was gone before the doctor got there; when the doctor ran in he took one look and walked slowly to the girl. Alphonse already knew she was dead, the doctor only confirmed it. He fell against the wall and slid down. Her body was cooling, and Alphonse let out a large sigh. He and Winry were the only two left from their childhood. Edward was gone, Alex was gone, Kara was a sociopath, and everyone else was dead or insane. Alphonse threw his head back to look at the ceiling, tears rolling out his eyes. He remembered the days of their youth, playing Kagome, cops and robbers, hide and seek.

He sat there staring at the hospital bed he had neglected to visit for six months. He imagined how lonely she must have been, lying there dying, for three years and spending most of that time alone. He wiped his eyes. It was his fault, if he hadn't tried to bring his mother back to life she never would have turned into a chimera. Ed wouldn't be dead either. They'd all be at Winry's house; Ed would be there with his arm and leg. Alphonse would have his 17-year-old body.

Alphonse let his imagination take hold. He would smile at a healthy not dead Alex, she would smile back. Winry and Ed would be fighting in the background. Alphonse might've kissed Alex gently and she wouldn't have rejected him, he would have his old body. They might have even had kids someday. It didn't happen like that. After Trisha Elric died they tried to bring her back and Alex ran away when she saw the aftermath. She got kidnapped and turned into a chimera, contracted a deadly disease and they kept her alive as long as they could. Ed got Alphonse his body back by sacrificing himself.

Al dragged himself to a phone and tried to call Izumi to tell her the news. He got Serge, "Alphonse. I'm glad you called. . . Izumi died this morning. . . "

Author Note: I know, it kind of sucks . . . kind of but if you want to help give me some constructive criticism I can work with. I want to know what you guys want, okay?


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